1. The procedure for the handling of requests for access to information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), 2000 (Act 2 of 2000) in the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) was explained in Knowledge Management Minute 0004/2012 dated 17 October 2012.

2. The Director-General of the Western Cape Provincial Government, has, as Information Officer and in terms of Section 1 of PAIA, delegated all powers and duties conferred and imposed upon him in terms of Section 17(3) of the PAIA, to the Head of Department, Directors Policy Co-ordination, Communication and Knowledge and Information Management as well as all the directors in the 8 education district offices and any person acting in these posts as WCED Deputy Information Officers (DIOs).

3. The following revised procedure for providing access to information applies with immediate effect:
3.1 All final responses to requests for access to information in terms of PAIA will henceforth be issued by the Office of the Head: Education (HOD) via the DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell) who is delegated to receive, facilitate and coordinate the respective response(s).
3.2 This implies that the officials mentioned in paragraph 2 above will henceforth still receive requests for access to information (form A) in their capacities as WCED DIOs and compile the draft responses, but they will no longer issue the final responses to requests for access to information to the requestors.
3.3 When the DIO receives a formal request for access to information (form A) in terms of PAIA, his/her office will immediately compile a draft response based on the available information and forward the draft response together with the request for access to information to the Office of the Head: Education for attention of the DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell).
3.4 Consequently, the DIOs are advised, when they receive a formal request for access to information to immediately:
3.4.1 acknowledge receipt in writing of the formal requests for access to information (form A) and inform the requestor that the matter has been referred to the DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell);
3.4.2 compile a draft response to the request for access to information based on the information at their disposal; and
3.4.3 record before forwarding the draft response to the Office of the Head: Education for attention of the DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell) to ensure compliance to the strict prescribed timeframes (30 days).
3.5 The DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell) will facilitate and coordinate the final responses to the requests for access to information and maintain a record and register of all the requests for access to information received for reporting purposes.
3.6 In case the district DIO receiving the original request is uncertain of the response, he/she must record and refer the request for information to the DIO in the office of the HOD (Mr Paddy Attwell) immediately to avoid a possible delay.

4. The procedure outlined in this minute comes into immediate effect.

5. All WCED officials are kindly requested to give their full co-operation in ensuring that requests for access to information are dealt with timeously.

6. Please regard Knowledge Management Minute 0004/2012 dated 17 October 2012, as amended accordingly.

7. Kindly bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all staff under your supervision.


SIGNED: PA VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2014:06:06

Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000  (size: 178 KB)
Form A: Request for access to record of public body  (size: 23 KB)